Enclosed fountain gravure press



'7 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY March 3, 1953 J. R. CAULFIELD ENCLOSED FOUNTAIN GRAVURE PRESS Original Filed Oct. 23 1946 March 3, 1953 J. R. CAULFIELD ,0

ENCLOSED FOUNTAIN GRAVURE PRESS Original Filed Oct. 25, 1946 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fl 6 2 INVENTO March 3, 1953 J. R. .CAULFIELD 2,630,065

ENCLOSED FOUNTAIN GRAVURE PRESS Original Filed Oct. 25 1946 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTO ATTORNEY '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 lNViNTOR ATTORNEY J. R. CAULFIELD ENCLOSED FOUNTAIN GRAVURE PRESS Original Filed Oct. 23, 1946 March 3, 1953 .1. R. CAULFIELD 2,630,065

ENCLOSED FOUNTAIN GRAVURE PRESS Original Filed Oct. 25, 1946 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG.6

FIG.5

TTORNEY March 3, 1953 J. R. CAULFIELD 2,630,065 ENCLOSED FOUNTAIN GRAVURE PRESS Original Filed Oct. 25,1946 7 Sheets-Sheet e FIG.8

March 3, 1953 J. R. CAULFIELD 2,630,065

ENCLOSED FOUNTAIN GRAYURE PRESS Original Filed Oct. 23, 1946 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 FIG. 10

Patented Mar. 3, 1953 ENCLOSED FOUNTAIN GRAVURE PRESS Joseph R. Caulfield, West Norwood, N. J., assignor to Champlain Company, Inc., Bloomfield, N. J., a corporation of New York Original application October 23, 1946, Serial No. 705,030. Divided and this application April 5, 1948, Serial No. 19,007. In Great Britain tober 6, 1947 11 Claims. (Cl. 101-157) This invention relates to printing presses, and more particularly to gravure presses of the enclosed fountain type.

The primary object of the present invention is to generally improve gravure printing presses, especially the enclosed fountain type.

In gravure presses the diameter of the gravure cylinder is changed when the dimension of the printed sheet is changed, and the position of the doctor blade must be correspondingly altered. I have found that for best results the wiping angle of the doctor blade and the location of the doctor blade on the periphery of the cylinder should be variable, for example, to complement different depths of etch, and one object of the present invention is to provide mounting mechanism for the doctor blade holder which will make this possible. A further object is to make the controls for this purpose readily and conveniently accessible outside the printing press. Still another object is to provide a doctor blade holder which is spring-cushioned, i. e., urged toward the cylinder by resilient means, so that the wiping pressure is determined not only by the resilience of the doctor blade itself, but also by the spring means acting on the holder.

For back printing, i. e., to print the back of a web which has just been printed on its face, the web may be re-rolled, which involves a waste of time and excessive handling, or a turning bar may be used, but this wastes floor space, causes web breaks, causes difiiculty of register due to side weave, and may smear the printing, or the printing press may be specially built for reverse operation or backprinting. In accordance with the present invention, the gravure press is made symmetrical, and similar holders and adjusting mechanism for the same are provided on both sides of the machine for the ink applicator or nozale, and for the doctor blade. Thus the doctor blade and the nozzle may be reversed in the field, without sending the machine back to the factory, and one or more of a line of printing presses may be arranged for back printing.

For high speed multi-color printing, it is necessary to use volatile inks which dry in a, fraction of a second. This has been made possible by the use of an enclosed fountain system which reduces vaporization, prevents settling, and keeps out dust or dirt. A still further object of the present invention is to improve the enclosed fountain, and one step taken in this direction is the use of sealing aprons which act not only as splash guards, but which extend all the way to and, bear against the inside of the ink pan. These sealing aprons are made of resilient material and are so designed as to engage the ink pan regardless of changes in the position of the doctor holder or the nozzle holder concomitant with changes in the diameter of the gravure cylinder. These aprons reduce the air space around the cylinder, in addition to protecting the supporting mechanisms of the doctor blade and nozzle, against freezing because of splashed ink.

anism for the doctor blade holder, and is taken approximately in the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 3 is a section across the ink fountain and ink pan taken approximately in the plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section showing the adjusting mechanism for the doctor blade, and is taken approximately in the plane of the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 5 and 6 contrast the movement of the web for back and face printing;

Fig. '7 is a transverse section showing the mechanism for raising or lowering the pressure roller, and is taken approximately in the plane of the line l--'l of Fig. 8;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken approximately in the plane of the line 8-8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section taken longitudinally of the gravure cylinder through the ink fountain; and

Fig. 10 is a side view showing multi-color printing units arranged in series with one press modified for back printing.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. 1, the printing unit there shown comprises a gravure cylinder [2 against which I a web i4 is held by a pressure roller I6. Ink is movementv by appropriate collars.

a substantially desired wiping angle at a substantially desired location on the periphery of the gravure cylinder [2 despite changes in di ameter of the gravure cylinder. As here illus trated, there are: control handles 22 and as which are readily accessible outside the press. Similar adjusting means, including control handles 25 and 28, are provided symmetrically on the opposite side of the machine for carrying the noz zle l8, and the parts are made interchangeable so that nozzle [8 may be replaced with doctor blade 20 and vice versa, in which case the direction of rotation of the cylinder may be reversed for back printing.

Considering the adjustingmechanism in greater detail, in the present construction the handle 22 raises or lowers the doctor blade, while the handle 24 tilts the doctor blade. The mechanism for this purpose is shown in greater detail Figs. 2. and 4, and referring to those figures.

it will be seen that handle 22 (Fig. 4) turns. a shaft 30, carrying worms 32 meshing. with worm gears. 34 on screws 36. The. smooth lower journal portions 38 of these screws arev rotatably carried in bearings 40, and are held against axial Thev upper portions 36 of the screws are threadedly received in bosses 4|, which project froma plate 42 which is arranged to slide ina generally upright direc- The screws 36 generally upright, but it will be seen in Figs. 1 and. 2 that they slope outwardly, thus moving.

the doctor blade holder inwardly as it is brought downwardly for cooperation with a small-diameter cylinder, and outwardly as it is raised for cooperation with a large-diameter cylinder.

In Fig. 2, it will be seen that the slidable plate 42 bears against a, stationary-part 46 of the press, on which the stationary bearings 40 are mounted. The part 46 is a tie brace or cross-brace extending between the side frames 48 and 50 (Fig. 4) of the press, and acts also to provide tracks for removal of the ink fountain, as will be described later.

Because of the use of worm gears and screws, the mechanism is irreversible, and the plate 42 will remain at whatever height it is adjusted.

A bracket (Fig. 2) is tiltably mounted on plate 42 to provide adjustment of the doctor blade angle- For this purpose a shaft 52 passes through bracketfii, and is received in. split bearings 54 (Fig. 4) forming a part of the plate 42. The bracket is cut away or recessed to fitv around a the bearings 54 but the end portions 55 overlie the bearings. The bracket 5i has a. pair of arms 58 projecting outwardly therefrom, and a bar 60 is pivotally mounted between the arms 58 by means of suitable pivots 62. The tilting movement for bracket 5! is applied through the bar 60.

For this purpose the handle 24 (Fig. 4) turns a shaft 63 connected by universal joints or flexible couplings 64 and 66 to a spindle 68 carrying a bevel gear 10. Gear meshes with a bevel gear 12 which threadedly receives a screw 74. This in turn moves the bar 6%], and through it tilts the bracket 5|. The connecting shaft between the universal joints 64 and 55 is telescopic, it comprising relatively slidable parts 16 and 18. The bearings 80 and 82 for the bevel gears are carried by the slidable plate 42 which is raised or lowered by handle 22, and it will be understood that the illustrated flexible or any equivalent shaft arrangement is provided betwen the handle rotatable because of a pin 83.

4 24 and the gear 10 merely to accommodate the up and down adjustment of the plate 42.

The wiping action of the resilient doctor blade is, additionally cushioned by means of a compression spring This bears at its lower end against a nut 82, and at its uper end against the bar 66. The smooth upper portion 84 of screw i4 is slidable through bar 60. It is held against rotation by a collar 8|, to which it is pinned, and which in turn is slidable on but non- The tension of spring 89, may be controlled by adjusting the nut E32, and when once adjusted may be left constant, the nut being provided with a set screw or equivalent locking means. Rotation of handle 2 turns the internally threaded gear 12, and so raises or lowers the screw 14, thereby tilting the bracketfil.

The spring cushioning action on the doctor blade is in theone direction only. In the reverse direction, the collar SI on the screw positively pulls the doctor holder away from the cylinder.

The doctor blade 28. is carried by a doctor blade holder 88 (Fig. 2), which in turn is carried by the tiltable bracket 5| previously referred to. However, it is not fastened directly to the bracket, for it is desired to reciprocate the doctor blade longitudinally relative to the gravure cylinder. For this purpose the holder is bolted to a long fiat key 88, as shown at 89 (Fig. 4), which in turn is secured to a flattened tOp' surface Sit on shaft 52, as by means of screws 92. The bracket at is shaped to receive the key 88, and both the shaft 52 and the key 88 are longitudinally reciprocable for a limited distance. In practice the movement may be set at from, say, to 1 In Fig. 4 it will be seen that the projecting end of the shaft 52 engages a cross-head 94 slidably carried by stationary guides 96. The cross-head 94 has a finger 98 received in a yoke H151 oscillatable with a shaft I02 extending longitudinally of the line of press units. Oscillation of shaft 02 reciprocates the cross-head 94 between the positions indicated at 94 and 94". This in turn reciprocates the shaft 52, and with it the key 88, the doctor blade holder 86, and the doctor blade 29. The specific mechanism for oscillating the shaft Hi2 may be conventional, forms no part of the present invention, and need not be described in detail.

Cross-head 94 is employed to permit up and down adjustment of plate 42. The cross-head is disposed parallel to the plate 42, and is longitudinally slotted to receive the end of shaft 52. The flanges 53 cause the shaft to move axially with the cross-head, without interfering with up and down movement of the shaft relative to the cross-head.

In Fig. 2, the doctor blade is shown in three positions, 26, 2t and 26". These correspond to gravure cylinders of small, medium and large size respectively. In the intermediate position 203, the doctor blade is disposed about thirty degrees away from the top of the cylinder. In the position 20, the location of the doctor blade is slightly more than thirty degrees, and in the position 20" the position of the doctor blade is slightly less than thirty degrees from the top of the cylinder, but all of the positions are approximately thirty degrees. Furthermore, by an appropriate combination of both up and down movement and tilting movement, the wiping angle of the doctor blade, as well as the location of the doctor blade, may be kept at a satisfactory and approximately constant angle. In some cases it may be desired to change the wiping angle, depending, for example, on the depth to which the cylinder has been etched.

In connection with Fig. 1, it was mentioned that the mechanism for adjusting the position of the doctor blade on one side of the fountain is duplicated on the opposite side under control of handles 26 and 28. This does not apply to the mechanism to vibrate the doctor blade. The arm I00 (Fig. 4), finger 96, and cross-head 94, are used on one side or the other, for the doctor blade, but not for the nozzle. By reversing the doctor blade and nozzle, and changing the gears driving the cylinder to reverse its rotation, the press may be used for back printing.

This is shown in greater detail in Figs. 5, 6 and 10. In Fig. 10, the web is taken alternatively from either the roll I04 or I06, and after being fed through a feed unit I08, which pulls the web from the roll, passes under a dancer roller [I0 which measures the slack loop of web, and controls the feed unit, and which also tensions the web. It is then fed in forward direction through press units H2, H4, H6, and in reverse direction through press unit H8, and thence under a dancer roller I to other apparatus, or to a rewind roll I22. Drier hoods are indicated at I23. It will be understood that any desired number of units, say, up to ten units or more, may be mounted on a single foundation for multicolor front and back printing. Referring now to Fig. 6, the web when fed in normal forward direction, runs under guide rollers I24 and I26, thence vertically upward to guide roller I26, thence downward between gravure cylinder I2 and pressure roller I6. The web then runs around guide roller I30, vertically upward to guide roller I32, and to roller I34, and thence downward as indicated at I36. In this case the nozzle is at I8 and the doctor at 20.

In Fig. 5, however, the web is fed around guide roller I40, vertically upward to guide roller I30, and thence between the gravure cylinder I2 and the pressure roller I6. The web then runs around guide roller I26, vertically upward to guide roller I34, and to roller I32. The Web then runs downwardly around a guide roller I35, and upwardly around rollers I31 and I39 outside the drier hood I42, and thence downwardly at I43. In this case the nozzle is at I6 and the doctor at 24. It will be understood that the drier I 42 is provided with a blower and/or heating elements to help rapidly dry the freshly printed web as it leaves the gravure cylinder.

Reverting to Fig. l, the nozzle I0 is supplied with ink at an inlet I0, to which a suitable flexible hose may be connected. The internal structure of the nozzle may be conventional, and requires no detailed description. It includes a manifold arrangement which distributes a stream of ink across the entire width of the nozzle (and the entire length of the cylinder) at uniform pressure. Each particle of ink travels an equal distance with equal resistance to flow, because of the symmetrically arranged manifold. For back printing, the flexible hose to the nozzle is brought up to the other side of the press from a circulating pump connected to an enclosed ink reservoir or tank. The tank and pump are not shown because they may be conventional.

The height and pressure of the pressure roller is adjusted by mechanism best shown in Figs. 1, 7 and 8. In Fig. 1, the pressure of the roller I6 This bears downwardlyon the cupped end I46 of a lever I48 fulcrumed at I50, and having curved projections I52 on 0pposite sides of a screw I54. The projections I52 bear against a thrust bearing I54 at the upper end of a threaded bushing I56. The lower end of screw I54 is secured to a bearing I58 which carries the journal at one end of the pressure roller I6. The bearing is vertically slidable in suitable gibs or Ways. It will be understood that this mechanism is provided in duplicate for each end of the pressure cylinder.

Referring now to Figs. 7 and 8, the internally threaded bushings I56 may be rotated by means of worm gears I60 through slidable keys IBI. Gears I60 mesh with worms I62 on a shaft I64. To facilitate assembly, the shaft I64 may be made in two parts joined by a coupling I66. Shaft I64 is journaled in the side frames 48 and 50 of the machine, and its outer end carries pulleys I58 belted by appropriate V-belts I10 to pulleys I12 on a motor I14.

By running the motor in one direction or the other, the worms I62 may be turned in one direction or the other, thus rotating the gears I60, and with them the internally threaded bushings I56. This raises or lowers the screws I54, the latter being n-cn-rotatably secured to hearing slides I16, as by means of pins I18. The slides I16 move in gibs or ways I80, and at their lower ends carry bearings I 62 in which the ends of the pressure roller I6 are journaled, as is best shown in Fig. 7.

The internally threaded bushings I56 are slightly movable in a vertical direction, so that the pressure of the cams or curved surfaces I52 on the thrust bearings I54 may be transmitted through the internally threaded bushings; I56 to the screws I 54, the slidabl bearings I16, and finally to the roller I6.

It will be understood that the shaft I64 may, if desired, be provided with a crank or handwheel for manual operation, although to save time and labor I prefer to provide a motor driv as here indicated.

In raising or lowering the pressure roller, it is a great convenience to be able to leave the web in the machine without disturbing the web length or web tension. This is done in the present case by connecting the guide rollers I28 and I30 (Fig. l) to the pressure roller I6 in such a manner that all three rollers are bodily raised or lowered as a unit, and by so positioning the rollers I26 and I32 that the web leading to the roller I23, and the web leaving the web I30, are both vertical. It will be evident that when the combination of three roller is raised, the vertical web portion I3I will be shortened by exactly the same amount that the vertical web portion IE1 is lengthened, and consequently there is no alteration in the length or tension of the web. The journals at the ends of the guide rollers I28 and I30 are carried in bearings I 84 at the ends of arms I86, which are connected rigidly to the slides I58, so that any change in height of the slide by means of the crew mechanism previously referred to, is applied to all three rollers.

Before leaving the subject of the pressure roller, it may be mentioned that the working pressure applied thereto may be by hydraulic means, instead of by mechanical springs. When compression springs are employed, as here shown, the pressure may be made adjustable, as by means of a screw I08 (Fig. 1) which is threadedly received in a stationary brack t I50, and which may be screwed downwardly or upwardly to changethe charge.

- doctor blade 20.

within the. fountain 282., The relation of the ink pan 2106 to the fountain 202. is also shown in Fig. 3. The bottom of the. pan near one end has an ink discharge opening 2l2. It may also be provided with locating pilots or pins 2 M, which help roperly locate the. pan against turning within the ink fountain. The ink discharge flange 2l2 passes through a mating opening ZIS in the ink fountain 202, and is in registration with an opening 22!). in the, cross-brace 56 of the machine. Fig. 9 also shows the opening 2l8 for ink dis- The dischargedink; is conveyed back to the tank or reservoir, from which it is again pumped up. to the nozzle. Specifically, there is a pipe 224, the upper end of which fits around the flange 212, and the lower end of which is telescopically received in a pipe 2%. Pipe 22% is held in an elevated position by a wing screw 228 threadedly received in a collar 23%. Whenever the ink fountain is to be, moved axially out of the machine, the wing screw 22B is released and the pipe 224 is preliminarily lowered, thus clearing the way for axial movement of the fountain.

The changeable ink pan or liner may be made of stainless steel, thus facilitating cleaning, for the stainless steel is relatively non-porous compared to the cast metal of the fountain. This makes it unnecessary to have as many pans as there are ink colors, although the latter arrangement is entirely feasible and of great advantage. It will be understood that on changing the ink color, the nozzle may be changed, as well as the pan, to avoid thorough cleaning of the nozzle.

Referring now to Fig. 3, another feature of the invention is. the sealing aprons 239 and 232 secured to the doctor blade bracket 5! and the nozzle bracket 234 respectively. These aprons are made of springy metal, and are so shaped as to bear snugly against the ink pan. The aprons act as splash guards which prevent the ink from reaching the mechanism for adjusting and moving the holders. They also limit the air space around the gravure cylinder 12, and so help prevent evaporation of the ink. They are so shaped and designed as to bear against the ink pan despite changes in the position of the doctor blade and nozzle to accommodate different diameters of cylinder. Thus Fig. 3 illustrates the position of the aprons when dealing with a gravure cylinder of maximum diameter. Fig. 2 shows the relatively flexed position of the apron 233 when the doctor blade has been brought down to a small gravure cylinder. At the doctor blade positions 2.0 and 20, the apron 230 will continue to bear against the inside of the ink pan or liner 2%, and thus help complete the sealed enclosure of the ink. Moreover, when the doctor blade holder and nozzle holder are raised preparatory to removing the fountain, the aprons move upwardly with the holders out of the way.

Fig. 2 also shows how the apron 230 may be secured directly to the bracket 51 with the help of a clamping strip 236. It is not secured to the doctor blade holder 86 for it is not intended that the apron reciprocate back and forth longitudinally of the cylinder. Instead, the apron is preferably of full length, and extends all the way from one end of the ink pan to the other.

To help finishthe sealing of the fountain, a sealing blade 23B is provided, in addition to the The doctor blade 20 is necessarily shortened in axial direction to permit longitudinal reciprocation. Thus. the fountain :would be open at the ends of the doctor blade, and to avoid this, the sealing blade 238 is provided. This immediately underlies the doctor blade, but does not bear against the cylinder, and since it does not reciprocate, it may be made of full length. For this reason, it is secured directly to the bracket. 5|, rather than to the doctor blade bolder 86, it being held by an appropriate clamping strip 240.

As so far described the fountain is fully enclosed except for the space at the top between the doctor blade and nozzle at the ends of the cylinder. To close this space, appropriate end shields may be provided. Referring to Fig. 9 curved strips 242 and 244 of a suitable soft metal such as zinc, lead or brass, are secured between arcuate supports 248 and clamping plates 248. The curved supports 246 and the soft metal strips 242 and 244 conform in curvature to the radius of the gravure cylinder. Diirerent shields must be used for difierent diameter cylinders. The supports 246 are bolted to brackets on the ends of the ink liner. It will be understood that the shields 242 and 24 extend over an arc of approximately sixty degrees, or enough to just fill the space between the doctor blade on one side, and the nozzle on the other.

Referring to Fig. 9, it will be seen that the journals 218 and 22B of the gravure cylinder are received in roller bearings 282 and 284 respectively, these in turn being locked in position by split bearing housings at the ends of the fountain, and being held against axial movement by appropriate annular keys 285 and 28?.

Provision is made for side to side register of the cylinder. For this purpose, the end of journal 218 (Fig. 9) carries a bearing 286 which in turn is held within a hand wheel 288 having a threaded hub 290 received in an internally threaded ring 292 secured to the outer ring of bearing 282. It will be evident that by rotating the hand wheel 288 relative to the ring 292 the gravure cylinder will be adjusted axially. 'ielzis adjustment may be locked by a set screw The opposite end journal 280 (Fig. 9) is keyed at 296 to a sleeve 298 which acts also as the roller bearing previously referred to. The outer end of sleeve 293 is slotted to receive a drive dog 300, connected to a drive shaft 302, carried in a bearing 304. It will be understood that the sleeve 298 is readily moved axially from the dog 300 along with the fountain, when the fountain is rolled out of the press.

To change a gravure cylinder, the motor I14 (Fig. 7) is first operated to raise the pressure roller and its associated guide rollers. The doctor blade and nozzle are tilted back out of the way, as is indicated by the change from the position 2!] to the position 20' in Fig. 1, and then raised far enough to clear the aprons 230 and 232 from the fountain. The ink drain pipe 224 (Fig. 9) is lowered by preliminarily releasing the wing screw 228. The clamps 252 (Fig. 1) are released, and the fountain is pulled outwardly with the aid of the handle 288. The dog and slot drive connection (300 in Fig. 9) at the rear end of the machine separates automatically. After the fountain has been pulled to outside position, the end shields are removed, and the top halves of the bearing housings are removed, whereupon the cylinder may be hoisted upwardly. The roller bearings may be removed for use with another cylinder. If the color of the ink is to be chan ed,

9 the ink pan or liner is removed and replaced by another. The nozzle may also be replaced. The procedure is then reversed to replace the cylinder.

If the cylinder is of a diameter different from that previously employed, the end shields are changed to conform to the new cylinder diameter. The fountain assembly is slid back into position after replacing the bearing housings. The control handles on the outside of the press may be used to raise or lower the doctor blade holder, and to tilt the doctor blade holder, until the blade wipes the cylinder at a preferred wiping angle and at a preferred location on the cylinder. The position and angle of the nozzle may also be changed, although this is not as critical as that of the doctor blade. The ink drain pipe is reconnected, and the position of the pressure roller with its two guide rollers is readjusted to the new cylinder diameter.

It is believed that the construction and operation, as well as the advantages of my improved enclosed fountain gravure printing press, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description thereof. The doctor blade may be adjusted to a desired wiping angle on the cylinder regardless of change in diameter of the cylinder. The wiping pressure of the doctor blade is cushioned independently of the resilience of the doctor blade itself. The press unit may be adapted, by changes in the field, to operate for either face printing or back printing, without re-rolling the Web, or using a turning bar. The fountain is provided with a changeable ink pan or liner, thus minimizing the need for scrubbing up when there is a change of color. The ink pan is made of relatively non-porous sheet metal, preferably stainless steel, and may be easily cleaned, if desired. The ink fountain is enclosed and sealed effectively, with a minimum of air space around the cylinder. For this purpose, sealing aprons are provided, which act as splash guards, and which also seal the fountain despite changes in the position of the doctor blade and the nozzle. The sealing arrangement is such that the fountain is sealed despite reciprocation of the doctor blade.

The height of the pressure roller may be varied to accommodate a change in cylinder diameter, or preliminarily to removal of the fountain assembly out of the press, without changing the length'or'tension of the web. The fountain may be moved axially out of the press, even though it is a fully enclosed fountain.

It will be apparent that while I have shown and described my invention in a preferred form, changes may be made in the structure disclosed, without departing from the spirit of the invention, as sought to be defined in the following claims.

These claims are directed to certain features of my invention. Other features not claimed herein are claimed in my parent application Serial No. 705,030 filed October 23, 1946, now Patent No. 2,506,011 issued May 2, 1950 of which the present application is a division.

I claim:

1. In an enclosed fountain gravure printing press, a doctor blade, a holder for said doctor blade, a carrier for said holder, means for adjusting the position of the carrier in an upright direction over a substantial distance, means for reciprocating said doctor blade in axial direc-'- tion, and means including one or more control handles accessible outside the printing press for adjusting the angular position of the holder and doctor blade about a horizontal axis relative to the carrier over a very substantial range of angular movement, said two adjustments making it possible to adjust the doctor blade to a substantially desired wiping angle at a substantially desired location on the periphery of the gravure cylinder, despite very large changes in diameter of the gravure cylinder, said means for reciprocating the doctor blade being so connected to the doctor blade as to remain operative despite changes in adjustment of the position of the doctor blade.

2. In a gravure printing press, a holder for a doctor blade, means for adjusting the holder including a plate arranged to slide in generally upright direction, multiple screws turned in unison by a control handle for moving said plate in upright direction, a bracket pivotally mounted on said plate, means including a handle and screw for adjusting the angle of saidbracket on said plate regardless of the vertical position of the plate, whereby on changing the diameter of the gravure cylinder the position of the holder and doctor blade may be adjusted to a substantially desired wiping angle at a substantially desired location on the periphery of the gravure cylinder despite large changes in diameter, an axially reciprocable shaft passing through the axis of tilting of the bracket on the plate, the doctor blade holder being carried by said shaft, and means to reciprocate said shaft, whereby said blade may be reciprocated relative to the gravure cylinder regardless of the angle at which the bracket is tilted.

3. In an enclosed fountain gravure printing press, a holder adapted to receive a nozzle, means for adjusting the holder including a plate arranged to slide in generally upright direction, multiple screws turned by a control handle for moving said plate in upright direction, a bracket pivotally mounted on said plate, means including a handle and screw for adjusting the angle of said bracket on said plate regardless of the vertical position of the plate, whereby on changing the diameter of the gravure cylinder the posi tion of the holder may be adjusted to a substantially desired angle at a substantially desired location on the periphery of the gravure cylinder despite large changes in diameter, an axially reciprocable shaft passing through the axis of tilting of the bracket on the plate, the holder being carried by said shaft, and means to reciprocate said shaft, whereby said holder may be reciprocated relative to the gravure cylinder regardless of the angle at which the bracket is tilted.

4. In an enclosed fountain gravure printing press, a gravure cylinder, an ink fountain the lower portion of which conforms generally to a hemi-cylinder, a nozzle, means to adjust the location and angle of the nozzle over a substantial range, a doctor blade, means to adjust the location and angle of the doctor blade over a substantial range, and sealing aprons extending downwardly from said nozzle and from said. doctor blade into engagement with the inside of the fountain, said sealing aprons being so dimensioned and curved about an axis generally parallel to the axis of the aforesaid hemi-cylinder and being made of resilient material such that the sealing aprons bear against the curved lower in side wall of the fountain despite the aforesaid changes in the position of the holders to accommodate changes in the diameter of the cylinder,

items 5, In an enclosed fountain gravure printing press, a fountain beneath the gravure cylinder, the lower portion of said fountain conforming generally to a hemi-cylinder, a symmetrical arrangement of holders on opposite sides of the cylinder, each holder having means including a control handle accessible outside the printing press for raising or lowering the holder for a substantial distance, and additional means including a control handle accessible outside the printing press for tilting the holder over a substantial angle, said holders being adapted to receive either a doctor blade or a nozzle, so that the machine may be set up for either face printing or back printing, the aforesaid adjustable means making it possible to dispose the holder at a substantially desired angle at a substantially desired location on the periphery of the gravure cylinder despite large changes in diameter, the doctor blade assembly and the nozzle assembly each being provided with a resilient sealing apron curved about an axis generally parallel to the axis of the aforesaid hemi-cylinder and arranged to bear against the curved lower inside walls of the fountain beneath the cylinder, said sealing aprons being symmetrically arranged, and the curvature and resilience being such that the aprons bear against the inside walls of the fountain despite large changes in the location and angle of the assemblies.

6. In an enclosed fountain gravure printing press, a gravure cylinder, an ink fountain having symmetrically arranged side walls conforming generally to a cylinder, a nozzle assembly, a doctor blade assembly, adjustable holders symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the gravure cylinder and so shaped and dimensioned in mating relation to both of said assemblies as to interchangeably receive either the nozzle assembly or the doctor blade assembly, and symmetrically arranged sealing aprons extending downwardly from said nozzle and from said doctor blade into overlapping engagement with the inside walls of the fountain, said sealing aprons being curved outwardly convex with respect to said cylinder, and being dimensioned to bear against and conform to the concave curved inside walls of the fountain, and being made of resilient material and of such length downward that the sealing aprons continue to bear against-the inside of the fountain despite changes in the position of the holders to accommodate changes in the diameter of the cylinder.

7. In an enclosed fountain gravure printing press, an ink fountain having symmetrically arranged side walls conforming generally to a cylinder, a doctor blade assembly, an ink nozzle assembly, and a symmetrical arrangement of holders on opposite sides of the cylinder axis, each holder having adjustable means for changing the position of the holder in a plurality of different directions transversely of the axis of the gravure cylinder, said holders receiving said doctor blade and nozzle assemblies, and each of said holders being so shaped and dimensioned in mating relation to both of said assemblies as to receive either the doctor blade assembly or the nozzle assembly, so that the machine may be set up for either face printing or back printing, the aforesaid adjustable means making it possible to dispose the holder at substantially a desired angle at substantally a desired location on the periphcry of'the gravurecylinder, the doctor blade assembly and the nozzle assembly each being provided with a curved resilient sealing apron ar- 7 l2 ranged to bear in overlapping engagement against the inside walls of the fountain beneath the cylinder, said sealing aprons being curved out wardly convex with respect to said cylinder, and being dimensioned to bear against and conform to the concave curved inside walls of the fountain, and being made of resilient material and of such length downward that the sealing aprons continue to bear against the inside walls of the fountain despite changes in the position of the holders to accommodate changes in the diameter of the cylinder.

8. In an enclosed fountain gravure printing press having a printing cylinder, a doctor blade assembly, an ink nozzle assembly, connecting elements for each assembly, two holders symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the cylinder adapted to support said assemblies in cooperative relationship with the circumference of the cylinder, each of said holders having identical means for receiving said connecting elements for each of the assemblies, said connecting elements and receiving means cooperating to provide guiding support for reciprocation of said doctor blade assembly in a direction parallel to the axis of said cylinder when supported on either of said holders.

9. In an enclosed fountain gravure printing press having a printing cylinder, a doctor blade assembly, an ink nozzle assembly, connecting elements for each assembly, two holders symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the cylinder adapted to support said assemblies in 00- operative relationship with the circumference of the cylinder, each of said holders having identical means for receiving said connecting elements for each of the assemblies, said connecting elements and receiving means cooperating to provide guiding support for reciprocation of said doctor blade assembly in a direction parallel to the axis of said cylinder when supported on either of said holders, said holders supporting said assemblies at the upper quadrants of the cylinder relatively near the top of the cylinder, the symmetrical arrangement of identical holders adapting the same to interchangeably receive either the doctor blade assembly or the nozzle assembly so that the machine may be setup for either face or back printing.

10. In an enclosed fountain gravure printing press having a printing cylinder, a doctor blade assembly, an ink nozzle assembly, connecting elements for each assembly, two holders symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the cylinder adapted to support said assemblies in cooperative relationship with the circumference of the cylinder, each of said holders having identical means for receiving said connecting elements for each of the assemblies, said connecting elements and receiving means cooperating to provide guiding support for reciprocation of said doctor blade assembly in a direction ported on either of said holders, said holders each having adjustable means for changing the position of each holder in a plurality of diiferent directions transversely of the axis of the gravure cylinder, the aforesaid adjustable means making it possible to dispose each holder at substantially a desired angle at substantially a desired location on the periphery of the gravure cylinder.

11. In an enclosed fountain gravure printing press having a printing cylinder, a doctor blade assembly, an ink nozzle assembly, connecting elements for each assembly, two holders symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the 13 cylinder adapted to support said assemblies in cooperative relationship with the circumference of the cylinder, each of said holders having identical means for receiving said connecting elements for each of the assemblies, said connecting elements and receiving means cooperating to provide guiding support for reciprocation of said doctor blade assembly in a direction parallel to the axis of said cylinder when supported on either of said holders, each holder having means for adjustably raising or lowering the holder for a substantial distance, and additional means for adjustably tilting the holder over a substantial angle about an axis parallel to the axis of the cylinder, the aforesaid adjustable means making it possible to dispose each holder at substantially a desired angle at substantially a desired location on the periphery of the gravure cylinder despite large changes in cylinder diameter, the symmetrical arrangement of identical holders adapting the same to interchangeably receive either the doctor blade as- 14 sembly or the nozzle assembly so that the machine may be set up for either face or back printing.

JOSEPH R. CAULFIELD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

